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High Divorce Rates in US and its Consequences for Families - Coggle Diagram
High Divorce Rates in US and its Consequences for Families
Negative consequences
For Children
More likely to perform poorly in school or drop out
Behavioral problems - acting out, difficulty getting along with peers, mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, addiction, conduct disorder, etc.
Children from high conflict families might be better off after divorce
Children lack good role models growing up, more likely to make poor choices, more likely to end up in institutions, have criminal records and problems adjusting to society.
Crisis period - Negative effects on children
Fathers -
Uninvolved fathers
Somewhat involved fathers
Involved fathers
For Families
Departure of a parent from home
Adjustment to new environment, such as new house , neighborhood or school. Loss of familiarity, old friends
Adjusting to new stepparent or cohabitating partner
Multi partner fertility (MPF), complex families with children from multiple partners living in the same household. Complicated family dynamics.
Too many transitions for young children, emotional and behavioral difficulties due to constant change and needing to readjust.
Financial costs associated with court, legal proceedings, child custody disputes
Continuing bitter conflict between the divorced partners, exasperated by legal process and procedures
Involvement of Family courts, Loss of privacy
Era of Unrestricted Divorce - post1970s
changes in social norms and policies
individualized perspective of marriage, couples can divorce due to "irreconcilable differences". More people are looking for personal fulfillment rather than sacrificing personal wants and desires for the good of the relationship
focus on personal fulfillment
rise of cohabitation, single parent households, step families with stepparents, stepsiblings, half siblings, etc. Sometimes children are living with their grandparents or other relatives
Women's employment outside the home, allowing them to leave bad marriages. Less economic dependence on their husbands
social acceptance of same sex couples, children born outside of marriage, adoption, etc.
No fault divorce laws
Due to civil rights and women's movements, Women are allowed to own property and assets, obtain paid employment. Getting married or staying in a marriage is a choice rather than legally or financially necessary.
Societal acceptance of children born outside of marriage.
Historical Perspective -Three Eras of Divorce
Era of Restricted Divorce - marriage is dissolved only under extenuating such as adultery, severe abuse, etc.
(late 1800s to early 1900s)
Era of Divorce Tolerance - society can accept divorce, however, it is not the norm and couples separating are usually ostracized from their community (early to mid 1900s)
Era of Unrestricted Divorce - advent of no fault divorce laws, now couples can seek divorce if they aren't receiving personal fulfillment from their marriages, divorce and stepfamilies are more mainstream and widely accepted.
(late 1900s onwards)
Social influences and changes
Cultural Changes
Age as a determinant for stability of the union
Influence of Race and Ethnicity
Men's loss of employment or high unemployment rates amongst young men
Incarceration - especially high rates of incarceration amongst young African American men
Cohabitation
Same-sex couples
Adoption
Women's rise in employment and economic independence
influence of social class and education
Kinship ties amongs minorities
Reasons couples get divorced
lack of personal growth and fulfillment in the marital relationship
loss of employment, conflict over finances
Adverse life events such as death of a child and the couple is unable to reconcile the loss
growing apart as a couple
Infidelity
lack of effective communication
Domestic Violence
irreconcilable differences and couple is unable to prioritize relationship needs over individual wants and desires
Presence of addiction, mental health or substance abuse issues in one or both partners
major change in the family unit, for example one of the spouses getting a job in another city and unable to make a long distance relationship work
Chronic and ongoing stressors, for example, conflicts amongst in laws